Twenty-Four US and UK Undergraduates Join BIU
for Summer Science Research Program
Long-running BIU–Yeshiva University partnership enables students to conduct cutting-edge research alongside leading Israeli scientists
This summer marks the 16th anniversary of the Bar-Ilan University (BIU)–Yeshiva University (YU) Summer Science Research Internship Program, a pioneering initiative that has brought nearly 500 undergraduate students to Israel since its inception. Designed to provide hands-on experience in advanced scientific research, the program pairs talented undergraduates with leading Israeli scientists in state-of-the-art laboratories at BIU.
Twenty-four students are participating in the 2026 program. This year's cohort includes students from Yeshiva College, Stern College for Women, Brandeis University, Rutgers University, Binghamton University, The Cooper Union, and Manchester University in the United Kingdom.
The program is generously supported by Drs. Mordecai z"l and Monique Katz, the Irving I. Stone Foundation, and the Zoltan Erenyi Charitable Fund.
Over the course of the intensive seven-week program, participants conduct research alongside faculty at BIU's Institute for Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials, Gonda (Goldschmied) Multidisciplinary Brain Research Center, Kofkin Faculty of Engineering, Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, and departments including, Information Science and Applied Artificial Intelligence, Chemistry, Physics, and Psychology.
Complementing their research, the program offers enrichment trips to key institutions around Israel. This year, students visited Teperberg Winery, Israel Aerospace Industries, the National Library of Israel, and the Volcani Institute for Agricultural Research. They also benefit from lectures by BIU scholars, evening programs, Torah learning, and Shabbatonim hosted at YU's Gruss Institute in Jerusalem, where the group resides.
Matching Interests with Opportunity
"Working with leading faculty and graduate mentors on projects spanning fields from artificial intelligence and engineering to neuroscience, chemistry, and life sciences, students are immersed in an environment that fosters both scientific discovery and personal growth," said Prof. Arlene Gordon of BIU's Department of Chemistry, who directs the program. "Each participant is carefully matched with a research laboratory that aligns with their academic interests and career aspirations, creating an experience that is both intellectually rigorous and deeply rewarding." Over its 16-year history, the program has become a launchpad for many students pursuing graduate study, medicine, engineering, and scientific research.
"One of the most rewarding aspects of this program is watching students gain confidence as researchers while forming lasting relationships with their faculty mentors and peers," said Prof. Gordon. "They leave with new scientific skills, a deeper appreciation for collaborative research, and memories that stay with them long after the summer ends."
The BIU–YU Summer Science Research Internship is administered through Bar-Ilan University's International School. Applications for the 2027 program will open later this year.